Alexander Isak's praise of Martin Odegaard could give Arsenal a crucial advantage in the potential battle to sign Newcastle United's star man.
The Gunners' long-standing interest in the Swedish frontman stretches back to well before his £63million transfer from Real Sociedad to Newcastle in 2022. During their shared season at Sociedad in 2019/20, when Odegaard was on loan from Real Madrid, the duo developed a strong rapport on and off the field, leading Isak to refer to Odegaard as his "best friend" in the squad.
Reflecting on their time together, Isak once said: "We have a very good contact and thrive well together. He is natural that he will be my best friend on the team. He was well known as a cult to have him on the same."
Arsenal would be hoping this close connection endures should they strive to finally sign the 25-year-old. Liverpool have also been linked with throwing their hat into the ring for the striker, who notched an impressive 23 Premier League goals this season.
The reigning English champions have already made significant investments during this transfer window, snapping up right-back Jeremie Frimpong from Bayer Leverkusen for a fee of around £30million. Meanwhile, creative midfielder Florian Wirtz is poised to finalise his club record £116.5m move to Anfield.
Signing Isak, whose Newcastle contract has three years left to run, would be a real statement of intent from either club. The man himself, however, has already suggested that he would fit into the Reds' system under Arne Slot.
Martin Odegaard
Martin Odegaard and Isak struck up a strong relationship in Spain (Image: Offside via Getty Images)
Speaking prior to the Carabao Cup final earlier this year, Isak said: "I really enjoy the games against Liverpool, because I think they're not too different to ourselves, a high-pressing team and a direct team, which can lead to many counter-opportunities, and that's the game I like."
Despite Newcastle's keenness to hold onto their forward talisman, especially as Champions League football beckons, Isak was non-committal about his future in March. He said at the time: "I think this club can achieve great things. We should look at one season at a time.
"My future is nothing really I think about. I've said many times doing a season I just focus on the job, now is probably the worst time to think about anything else."
Newcastle United's Alexander Isak breaks past Liverpool's Virgil van Dijk
Isak has spoken positively about Liverpool (Image: MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Arsenal will hope that reuniting Isak with Odegaard might tip the scales in their favour. However, the Gunners may find securing the likes of Benjamin Sesko or Viktor Gyokeres more realistic this summer.
Recruiting a top-class striker remains pivotal for Arsenal in their quest to transition from consistent runners-up finishes to being crowned Premier League champions.
Gunners legend Thierry Henry recently expressed his thoughts on the club's need for more firepower. Speaking on the Stick to Football podcast, he said: "Everyone has been screaming for a nine, apart from when we win, by the way. When we beat Real Madrid, we didn't need a nine. No, you do need a nine."
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Arsenal Manager Mikel Arteta, Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard and Gabriel Jesus with the Arsenal Therapy Dog Win during the Arsenal Men's team group shoot at London Colney on September 18, 2023
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